The Positive Side of Oppression

Last nights documentary was really entertaining- it's nice to see a more positive side of oppression once in a while.

I love the film industry and especially the classics, I never realized how candid films of the 20's & 30's were.  And though censorship later sought to dull and smother material deemed offensive and unwholesome, it's fascinating how the movie industry worked around those obstacles.
In a lot of ways these subtle messages enriched the films.  As one commentator said, "it was a movie within a movie.... and in a lot of ways gave minorities hope."  I found that so inspiring, and so thrilling; how so many could create movies with a sociably acceptable guise while carrying strong undertones of sexuality, race and otherwise.

The Things You Own End Up Owning You

When I think of social class I think of "The Howls' vs The Bundy's"-- two very defined lifestyles articulated beyond money alone and by an entire state of mind.

It's this state of mind that really reflects a persons class I think.  For there are many people who lack finances but remain dignified while there are others who are loaded but not at all refined.

However in our society, where the majority are deemed "Middle-Class," consumerism is the defining factor of class.  It's not just about how much you have in your bank account, it's how much you own.  The number of things you own defines ones wealth more than any other factor- and that seems to be what we're constantly working for.

The American goal is to be wealthy enough to have anything we want, and when we want.  Our obsession with this is insatiable.  In fact, the only thing we love more than money is watching it get spent! We are addicted to watching the rich spend their money and live these lavish albeit ridiculous lives.  I've said it before, my 'hate that I love it' guilty pleasure is Keeping Up With the Kardashians (bows head in shame)---and why!? I have no idea, it's not that they flaunt price tags so much, but they do live in (what seems to be) an easy world of vanity and materials, and I hate how entertaining I find it.

Shows like ''My Super Sweet 16'',  ''Real Desperate Housewives of [Wherever the Hell]" or any wedding show on TLC only further to feed that idea that our self worth comes from our tangible valuables. In essence, the days of having class and being of high-class no longer go hand in hand, but has instead been replaced with the idea that what we own defines us in the hierarchy of class; a self-given air of entitlement- whether earned, deserved or otherwise.

Play Like A Girl

I found the video “Not Just a Game” very insightful. Not being a major sports follower I don’t know about a lot of the messages that are conveyed through the vein of sports, but it does make sense. Now I do come from the typical “Football is life”-type town so I am aware of the kind of molding that can have on one’s life. Where boys are validated by football, or at least by participating in sports in general. In this video it was pointed out how to ‘play like a girl’ was one of the worst insults a man could hear, and the question that arose was what does this say about women? Is this demeaning to our weaknesses?? So I asked a few men what that statement meant to them; one response was it’s not that it’s intended to be hurtful to women, but rather hurtful to men because they are in fact not women. He cited there are differences between the two and that is what this is supposed to represent. And that is true, many sports have been modified for women simply because of the physical differences, it’s not meant to be unfair, just fact. I can understand this thinking because much like a man does not want to be termed ‘a girl’ I would be insulted if I were ‘like a boy/man.’ Especially in terms of physicality; I don’t want to be told I look like a man or sound like a man… that would be insulting to me, even though I very much like the way men can look and sound, I just don’t want to mimic it. But even so- when I hear the words ‘you play like a girl,’ it doesn’t have a positive connotation to it. As a majority most girls probably aren’t all that athletic or prone to sports, and might even be uncoordinated or lacking an athletic ability that men tend to have more naturally (I know I do!) but the ones that are involved in sports can be exceptionally fierce. They are strong, driven, coordinated and certainly not the image conveyed by such a statement. Again most of the men I talked to about this did say they didn’t view this statement as being particularly insulting to women, but insulting to men simply because the typical woman is not as naturally athletic as men. I don’t like it, but it makes sense.

The Guy Code

I found last weeks class....disturbing, to say the least.  Watching "The Bro Code" documentary was definitely an eye-opener, if not more.  I can't say how valid it is for the men I know in my life, but it did raise some very interesting points about what society is pushing for the men of today to become.

Without re-hashing the entire video I will say I see a lot of unfortunate truths that were pointed out in the video.  It does seem we are feeding a very narrow image of what a man should be, like, and expect out of life.  The whole 'sex, beer, and violence' isn't a new ideal for men but it does seem to be elevating to new heights with the progression of media and advertising. 

It's unfortunate because it's everyone who suffers from this ideal.  Out of pride men are encouraged to act a certain way, think a certain way, believe a certain way, and I just think that ideal is so narrow it closes them off to some of the great things offered in life.  If a man is encouraged to never share his feelings, then how can he come to know the strong bond that can come in a relationship.  How can he know that building his wife up and supporting her, instead of tearing her down with the predictable misogynistic comments, can lead to a more unified, happier, stronger marriage.  And as women, we are so desperate for these walls to be taken down yet we have come to expect them. And in some cases, re-enforce them.  Because we too fall victim to the expectations.  I think we are by nature more nurturing and family-oriented and this gets exploited into believing if we do not meet all the needs of our spouse or family we are somehow failures.  Or if we are not sexual and submissive then again, we are somehow less desirable women. 
In either case standards are being set for us by a media that cares nothing about us beyond our wallets and it's not until we are made aware of it and the flaws of this thinking than we can change these idiotic ideals.